America’s Got Talent: Poplyfe’s bubble is burst

Listen. We’ve been together, you and I, for months now. MONTHS. And it’s not that I don’t love spending this time with you, because I do! But, come on. Do you really need me to drag this out? Because I HAVE NO INTEREST IN DRAGGING THIS OUT. The final performances, ladies and gentlemen:

Landau Eugene Murphy, Jr.‘s pre-performance package explains that he’s a normal guy who just happened to be homeless for a while before pulling himself up by the bootstraps, got a job washing cars, and became a family man. All while learning a few Sinatra songs along the way.

For his final performance, Landau not only dismisses all of my sage advice, he decides to go ALL IN and perform Frank Sinatra’s anthem, “My Way.” I know that I am going to be savaged for this, but let’s be honest, chickens. This was a really good karaoke performance, nothing more. Landau has heart, he has a good, caring soul, but what he does not have is Frank’s rich voice. And to not only beg comparison to Ol’ Blue Eyes, but to take on the one song that is most readily identified with him? Wow. That takes courage or stupidity, I’m not sure which. Let us compare:

Nope. Landau can sing better than most people: he can certainly sing much better than me or anyone I know in real life. But he can’t sing better than the Chairman. And to set himself up in comparison to America’s greatest pop voice is a mistake. That is, unless America is more familiar with the song than the performer, which might just be the case here. Landau is coasting on his winning personality rather than his talent — which, if we are all being completely and totally honest, falls somewhere between Pretty Good Sinatra Impersonator and Decent Karaoke Performer. And Frank Sinatra impersonators in Las Vegas? They’re a dime a dozen.

That all said, I think Landau’s won this thing.

Piers thought Landau sang from the heart, Landau gave Sharon goosebumps and Howie thinks he sealed the million dollar deal. Howie, unfortunately, is probably not wrong.

Team iLuminate‘s package explains that they are taking a huge risk, and some dancers sob about how badly they want to win this thing. Noted.

The performance is amazing, as always. They’ve added some dancers to up the spectacle and it is dazzling. I honestly think this group has the most Las Vegasy quality to their performance: they are imaginative and novel and incredibly talented and they could easily sustain a long-running show. However, their weakness is there isn’t a particular personality with which viewers can connect. Every previous winner of America’s Got Talent has been a solo act, and I’m not sure Team iLuminate is the group to change that. Still! Amazing!

Sharon thinks their act is about technology and creativity and has vision and defines what is different about America’s Got Talent from all the other talent shows. Howie found them amazing and fascinating, and thinks they deserve to win, but worries about the personality issue mentioned above. Piers compares them to the thing that America needs to pull itself out of its recession. SOMEONE! QUICK! CALL OBAMA. WE HAVE A SOLUTION: LIGHTSUITS.

Poplyfe explains this will be the performance of their lifetimes, and as such they are going to tackle Queen. Oh. Oh dear.

Sigh. Poplyfe. I loved you and your fun bubble-gum-punk energy. But this cover of “We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions?” This is a mess. Some of it is not your fault: someone’s mic was turned up WAY TOO HIGH, drowning out Kehlani’s voice with something off-key and rather terrible. But I can’t help but think this was a bad song choice overall: way too broad, way too juvenile and way too obvious. (I’d actually been hoping for “Bohemian Rhapsody” when I heard you were performing Queen, which would have been both more ambitious and more satisfying had you pulled it off.) Still, I adore you kids: POPLYFE 4 EVA.

Howie believes they are champions but that this performance contained some off notes. Piers thought some of it was shaky, but that they are very talented performers; and Sharon assures Kehlani that she is a star. But not the rest of them, Sharon? What about the rest of them?

UH OH. TECHNICAL ISSUES, NBC HAS THEM. And so for about 10 minutes, we watch old audition videos because what this show needed to be was a little longer.

FINALLY, Silhouettes, ladies and gentlemen. BUT NO PRE-PERFORMANCE TAPED PACKAGE FOR YOU. The season premiere of Parenthood is scheduled to be airing RIGHT NOW. THERE’S NO TIME FOR YOUR DIABETES-RELATED SOB STORIES.

Silhouettes perform some Silhouettey thing involving balloons and polar bears and Chinese temples and “What a Wonderful World,” and the Eiffel Tower and the word “LOVE” spelled out, and it was almost as if I had dared them that they couldn’t possibly be any cheesier than they had been, BECAUSE OH MY GRACIOUS, I am now covered in a thick layer of Gouda. You win, Silhouettes! You can be cheesier!

Piers tells them they’ve clearly saved the best for last; Sharon found them inspirational and beautiful; and Howie thinks Silhouettes gave the show the perfect ending.

Based on tonight’s performances, I am pretty sure Landau and Team iLuminate will be our final two. And if I were the only one voting, Team iLuminate wold be the big winners. But America loves a good personal redemption story, which Landau certainly has. And for that reason alone, I think Landau will be the Vegas-headlining winner tomorrow night.

16 Responses

I largely disagree with you on the fact that iLuminate doesn’t have a personality to relate to. The technical genius behind the act is Yasmine and the show did a good job giving the audience some insight behind her life with dancing and programming but they failed to maintain a connection with her and the viewers.

As far as your low opinion of Landau..well…shame on you. Here’s the deal. Landau has never once tried to declare himself as a Sinatra Impersonator. This is where your comments on comparing him and Sinatra is a poor review because this is not a guy trying to impersonate Sinatra or Dean Martin…this is a very talented performer (karaoke singer? really? shame on you…to compare Landau to “karaoke” is blasphemy) who is trying to put his own spin on that era of music and do something different than the poppy garbage that’s on the radio now. It’s beautiful.

“My Way” has been covered by several artists, including Elvis Presley. I was always “meh” when it came to Frank Sinatra and always preferred Dean Martin’s vocal tone and stage presence. Landau’s tone is different than Sinatra’s and there’s a slight gravel in Landau’s voice. I prefer Landau’s tone over Sinatra and was hoping he wouldn’t do another Sinatra song … but he had to choose something big for the finale. I would have much rather have heard him do Mack the Knife.

Anyway, you may get your wish and Team iLuminate may win. I voted for both Team iLuminate and Mr. Murphy Jr. I’d pay to see either one of them live.

Also, as far as the bitter taste in your mouth regarding this show having a lack of winners that are beyond a singing one man act, you have to realize something about the general public. Despite this show coming out as being a talent show and anyone can attempt to win with any talent or amount of people within the act, the simple fact of the matter is, the American public will ALWAYS prefer a singer, an individual who lights up the stage with the very gifts that their body gives them, and as proven throughout history, the most enjoyable entertainment is MUSIC. This doesn’t say anything negative towards the producers of the show or the American public for their preference…this is simply human nature…it is simply human nature for people to want to experience the oldest form of entertainment since the beginning of civilization…singing.

Thanks for explaining that! I always thought the reason the Romans enjoyed seeing the Christians torn apart/eaten by wild beasts, and used as torches to light the streets at night, was that the Romans were bloodthirsty monsters. It turns out they just enjoyed hearing the Christian martyrs singing!

BTW, the “talent” this year left much to be desired. Haven’t we had enough solo singers to win? How about sending a REAL entertaining ACT on to Vegas? I think Team iLuminate should win. Poplyfe should have never gotten this far and is truly worth the mute button on TV. I don’t think Silhouettes is that good either.. Both are fine for a 90 second performance, but a whole 2 hr Vega$ show of them? Would you pay $150 a ticket to see either of them?? No way.. I hope America picks the REAL winners- Team iLuminate. They are totally creative and NEW talented entertainment!

The thing is, they are not looking for the best act, they are looking for the best VEGAS act. What will people pay $60 a seat to watch for an hour and a half? I think that, if you’re in Vegas, Landau is the only one with a chance. But he will need to extend his repertoire beyond the Rat Pack to last for more than a few months on the Strip.

Landau has this thing won. Iluminate is a visually stunning act but no way a two hour show, same with silouettes, and Poplyfe is out of there, they didn’t do well under the immense pressure. To compare Landau to a karaoke singer….really!!??? you must have heard some pretty fantastic karaoke singers who should have made it big if they got the break. I much prefer Landaus voice to Sinatras plus Landau has so much heart….. you can’t make that kind of stuff up.

Well I think Eugene is a one trick pony-he channels Frank well, but when he sang with Ms. La Belle-he looked awkward and out of tune. To me this season was very scripted. The only act that didn’t do well was Poplife-they had been one of the favorites-all of the sudden they get stage fright and sounded totally off key-funny they didn’t pick that up in rehearsal. Isn’t it funny how the final 2 are a dance group and a singer-who had tuff lives. To me the only clear Class Act was “ILuminate.” Silouettes was even better that Eugene. He didn’t claim to be Frank impersonator, but he didn’t deny or shy away from comparisons!

I thought the same thing that Team Iluminate and Landau would be the top 2 but definitely thought Team Iluminate should have won hands down since it is way more creative and talented than Landau just singing. I don’t agree that Landau won….i think he is great; however, not a million dollar act to perform in vegas on a regular basis. I think Iluminate could pack a house regularly like the Blue Man Group so to speak. I was thoroughly disappointed that Iluminate came in 3rd.